


It Started With a Letter

by alekszova



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Love Letters, M/M, One Shot, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), i had the time of my damn life writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-12 19:32:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18017015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alekszova/pseuds/alekszova
Summary: Gavin receives a love letter, but maybe not from the right person.





	It Started With a Letter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [same_side](https://archiveofourown.org/users/same_side/gifts).



The handwriting on the coffee cup belongs to a barista named Mason. Gavin recognizes it in an instant. He’s seen it enough times in the last two years to know it without looking very closely. They never dated, not for lack of trying, though. Two years ago when Gavin asked him out, he thought they could actually amount to something. Be just like a cute couple straight out of a book or a movie that met at a cafe and fell in love. The barista would know the way to his heart, which, essentially, is just coffee. But it’s rather difficult to have a relationship with someone when Gavin has already slept with Mason’s two best friends. It ended before it began, and he hasn’t returned to that cafe since the night they spent together.

But Connor does.

Every morning, he gets Gavin a cup of coffee. Peace offering to smooth away the damage the two caused during the android’s first week here. It won’t make up for everything, but it’s a start. Enough for the two of them to become tentative friends. Days spent with Connor leaning against his desk, nights spent with Gavin trying his best at making a good joke because when Connor smiles, it feels like it helps stitch a wound closed. And when he laughs? It’s like magic.

The first time Connor laughed he seemed so genuinely surprised by it that he covered his mouth with his hands as if to stuff it back inside of his body. Like he was embarrassed. A blush spread across his cheek and he looked at Gavin in wonder. He thinks it was the first time Connor had ever laughed in his entire life.

It was too fucking cute for him to handle. He thinks he died in that moment.

Gavin wants to make him do it again.

And again and again and--

“What the fuck is this?” he nudges the coffee aside, picking up the envelope from where it was tucked underneath. Neat, white, carefully sealed shut. It’s not addressed to anyone.

“You got something?”

He glances towards Tina, “Mind your own business.”

She narrows her eyes at him, glances at the untouched coffee as if she’s willing him to drink it. Make him slightly more palatable. He slumps down in his chair, turning away from her, shielding her from watching  as he tears it open. She isn’t spying on him. He knows that. He knows it without seeing her roll her eyes at his attempts to keep her from even seeing the tiniest bit of the contents within the envelope.

Gavin slips the letter out, opens it slowly, starts to read the words written in neat CyberLife Sans, and his stomach flips and twists and flutters.

> _ Hi. I don’t know how to start these. I don’t know what to say. I guess I will start with the most obvious part of this, the reason I’m even writing this to begin with: _
> 
> _ I love you. More than I know what to do with. _

He looks from the page to coffee at his desk where it grows colder by the second to where Connor sits on the other side of the DPD. But he acts as he always does. Completely still, focused on his work, never looking back at Gavin. Not even once. But he knows it has to be him. The font is too neat for a human to replicate, written in pencil instead of ink. Smudges on the paper, so perfectly folded. An android wrote it, no doubt about it. Connor is the only android he’s even spoken too, the only one he’s been able to call a friend. 

Gavin keeps reading, even though he feels a little bit ill, in the best way possible. The words in his head keep cycling over and over again.  _ I love you. I love you. I love you. _

Connor loves him.

_ Connor loves him. _

“Oh,  fuck,” he whispers, setting the page down on the desk. He’s only half-way through and he can’t handle this. His entire body is alight with nerves. His bones feel like they’re made of jelly. He can’t seem to sit still so he forces himself to his feet, takes a few steps away before he realizes his legs won’t be able to hold his weight if he keeps thinking about those words. If he was alone, he would attempt to walk around in circles. Try and get the anxiety, good or bad, out through the dizzying movement of walking around until eventually he could collapse against the floor and let out his happiness in a strange giggle.

_ I love you. _

“Gav? You alright?”

He laughs and slumps back down in the chair, trying to force himself to breathe, tries to force himself to think straight but his head is buzzing. Full of bees. Static. Nothing makes sense. He feels light-headed. Like he might actually pass out.

Connor loves  _ him? _

He’s spent a year trying to make up for all the shitty things he’s done. He’s spent six months trying to pretend he doesn’t have feelings for an android. He’s spent five months convincing himself every night that he can and will get over someone he doesn’t deserve and it is all undone within the span of two minutes and three words.  _ I love you. _

“I’m fine,” he says, waving her away. He brings a hand up to his face and hides the smile cracking his face in two. Trying to subdue it into something that doesn’t look so absolutely ridiculous.

“You don’t look it.”

“Shut up, Tina. I’m trying to read.”

“What, someone send you a love letter?”

He looks over to her, “Why do you say that so sarcastically?”

“Why do you think?”

Gavin scoffs, turning the page to face her, “Hey, fuck off. Someone did. A genuine love letter.”

“Oh, really?” she says it half with sarcasm, half with surprise. “What does it say?”

“Jealous much?”

“No. Come on. Tell me what it says.”

“You are.”

“Shut up. I don’t even believe that’s a real love letter, Gavin.”

“Really? Allow me to read to you,” he clears his throat.  _ “You’re amazing. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. You’re incredibly talented. Every time I--” _

“Alright, stop.” Tina says. “He called you talented?”

“Plenty of guys would agree--”

“I don’t want to hear about your sexual ingenuity, Gavin.”

“I was going to say it was about  my ability to befriend cats, but you’ve got a pervy little mind, don’t you?”

She twists her mouth, as if she’s trying her best to keep a smile from forming on her lips, “Let me see that.”

“No.”

“Gav, give it.”

He sighs and passes it to her. He hasn’t even finished reading it yet, but Tina’s vicious. Fucking ruthless. She’ll tackle him to the ground and choke him out just to get the letter in her own hands. He’s been temporary blinded in one eye from her flinging rubber bands at him too many times to mess around with her.  _ Vicious.  _

“Oh shit, this is so sweet,” she whispers. “Wish someone would write me a love letter like this.”

“You don’t deserve one.”

“Like you do? Shut the fuck up.”

He smiles and waits. Glances from her to Connor. He wants to throw something at him. Make him look over here. It has to be him, doesn’t it? He didn’t look to see if there was a signature at the end of the letter, but it was in the CyberLife official font. It was written by an android. It had to be Connor.

Right?

_ Right? _

“This is real nice, Gav, you got yourself a good boy.”

“Don’t phrase it like that.”

“Yeah? Simon is cute, though. You should count yourself lucky he’s so into you.”

“Simon?”

“Yeah,” she passes the letter back to him. “He’s the one that signed it.”

He rips the page from her hand, glances to the bottom of the page.

Simon.  _ Fucking Simon? _

His heart sinks, drops so deep into the pit of his stomach he wonders if there’s any hope to get it back. He was positive, he was  _ sure  _ it was Connor. It had to be.

But it’s from  _ Simon? _

He barely even  _ knows  _ Simon. They’ve only talked a handful of times, and that was only when he was waiting on Connor to finish with paperwork. If Simon was in love with anyone at the DPD, it had to be Connor, not  _ him.  _ It could have been left on any other desk in the entire precinct and he’d believe it more than this. Fowler and Simon? Hank and Simon? Even fucking Tina and Simon. All more believable than  _ Detective Gavin Reed, android hater  _ and  _ Simon, PL600, helper of the android revolution. _

“Maybe you should go out with him,” Tina says. “You’ve been all heart-eyes over Conman and we both know that’s not going anywhere.”

“You’re so supportive, Tina,” he replies, but the words come out a little broken and a little whispered. Knowing his inability to ever have a future with the one person he’s ever actually wanted and being told--

It’s like a slap in the face. A good one. A little hit of reality. He deserves it.

“You think I should?” Gavin asks. “For real?”

“Yeah. Being hung up on someone you can’t have isn’t healthy. Just go on one date with Simon. Test the waters. See how it goes. See if he’s even a good kisser.”

He can’t stop looking at Connor. He can’t stop the feeling of disappointment in his stomach. For a few minutes, two or three maybe, he thought Connor loved him. He thought he could have the person he wanted, and it was ripped away from him like everything always is.

“Okay,” he says, shrugging, regretting each and every word as he says it. “I’ll… go out with Simon.”

  
  


Simon is cute. Gavin never really thought of him that way. He was too consumed by how much he likes Connor to really look at anyone else. Nobody else compared anyways. Even if he had the opportunity to be with someone, he’d keep coming back to Connor. Something about his stupid hair and stupid suit. He always pictured their first kiss the same way. Grabbing his tie and pulling him down. Always sad and angst-y like all the good love confessions in movies are. Maybe it would be raining. Storming. Thunder like fireworks in the back of his head.

But Simon  _ is  _ cute. Blond hair he can thread his fingers in, gentle hands he can hold onto tight. He’s nice, too. Cute smile. Good laugh.

He’s not Connor, though.

Gavin watches the two of them. Simon leaning over Connor’s desk, laughing at something he’s said. ~~Nice ass, too.~~ He never stays very long. A passing of files from one hands to the other’s. Crime reports on anything and everything that’s even had the slightest bit to do with androids. Research for Markus and Jericho, the future of android’s rights lies within the contents of those folders.

“You gonna make your move?” Tina whispers.

“Tina,” he says, like a warning, casting her a glare.  _ “Don’t.” _

She smiles back at him, “I wish you lots of luck, boy-o.”

Gavin rolls his eyes, watching Simon and Connor for a little bit longer. A problem posed to him as the two androids part ways. He wants Connor. Craves him. Thinks about him late at night when he’s far too lonely, realizing how big and empty his bed is. How easily it could be filled by Connor, how he could watch his LED glow in the dark as he fell asleep against his chest. Warm and nice and comforting.

And then Simon.

Someone who could give him that. Someone who could allow him to have a solid relationship that isn’t built off of favors or one-night stands. Someone who loves him. Someone he could get to know any maybe fall in love with. It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?

It’s worth at least trying.

He stands, not looking towards Tina, not wanting to see the expression she’s giving him. Encouragement to go after someone he doesn’t want. He’s done the same to her. Told her to get over her crushes and try to date someone who might actually like her. He didn’t realize how much it hurt to be told how little her feelings mattered when they were never going to be returned. He’s such a fucking dick sometimes. No wonder she flings rubberbands at him.

Gavin reaches the front door of the precinct, stepping out into the chilly air, taking the steps quickly on his way down the street. Simon is easy to spot a few yards away. Walking slowly down the sidewalk back towards the bus.

“Hey,” he calls. “Simon?”

He turns quickly, adjusting the bag on his shoulder, “Detective Reed?”

“I, uh--” Gavin shifts his weight from one foot to the other. He’s not used to this. Having someone that’s in love with him. It being so one-sided like this. Gavin is usually the one pining, the one hating himself, the one drowned by daydreams. He isn’t even used to asking people out. The barista was a fluke, and that was a year ago.

He takes a step forward.

Action speaks louder than words, right?

He feels terrible as he reaches for Simon, knowing that he’s only doing this because Connor doesn’t want him. But what else is new? He’s always used other people to make himself feel better. How is this different compared to the random guys at clubs he sleeps with? And if he eventually discovers that Simon is good, that he has the capacity to fall in love with someone other than Connor, it doesn’t matter what shitty intentions he had to begin with, does it?

Simon’s lips are soft against his, but he isn’t kissing Gavin back. He’s rigid and frozen until a hand reaches up and presses lightly against Gavin’s chest, pushing him backwards. Gently.

“I’m sorry, I don’t--I don’t like you that… way, Detective.”

“W-What?”

Simon laughs, and shakes his head, “I don’t like you. I’m sorry.”

He lets out a sigh, half mingled with a laugh, relief flooding through him.  _ Thank fucking God.  _ Simon is cute, sure, but  _ Connor.  _ Connor has a vice grip on his heart and he doesn’t even know it.

“What about the letter then?”

“What letter?”

Gavin glances back to the DPD where the letter is folded up neatly and shoved underneath a pile of folders in the bottom drawer. Hidden away like he wants to pretend it never happened, which he does. He should’ve ignored it. He should’ve looked at the name and realized it wasn’t meant for him. He should’ve gone about this differently. He never should have let Tina read it.

First android he kisses and it’s a fucking mistake--and not even the one he actually wanted to kiss.

“You wrote me a love letter.”

“I absolutely did not.”

“You said I was talented,” he raises his eyebrows, as if he’s really going to hit on Simon now with his sexual expertise. He can’t help it. He’s a fucking train wreck. “I mean--”

“I wrote that for Markus,” he repeats. “Not you. And even if I did like you, I couldn’t--”

Simon stops himself, his face falling, teeth closing over his bottom lip to keep from going on.

“What?”

“I can’t… date someone that my friend likes.”

“You have a friend that likes me?”

“Yes.”

_ “Who?” _

Simon, in this moment, wears an expression he’s seen on Tina’s face a thousand times. It shifts from blankness to annoyance, eyes narrowing, arms folding across his chest. She usually follows it with a  _ are you fucking kidding me, Gav? _ but Simon doesn’t. It’s written across his face, though.

“You really are an idiot, aren’t you?” he asks. “You’re aware that we only have one mutual friend, aren’t you?”

“I’m not following.”

“Of course you aren’t. You’re an idiot.”

“You’ve said that once.”

“And I’ll say it again.”

Gavin laughs without a trace of humor, “Who’s your friend?”

“Connor, you--” he stops. “Connor likes you. He wrote you a letter. Not me.”

“C-Connor?”

“Yes.”

“You’re certain?”

“Yes.”

He turns away from Simon, racing back towards the DPD, shoving the door open and stumbling across the room towards Connor’s desk.  _ Connor likes you.  _ Connor likes him. He’s smiling again. Stupid idiot smile he can’t control and he decides in that moment he doesn’t want. He doesn’t want to suppress how happy he is right now, how rarely he gets to feel like this. Giddy and lightheaded, surprised his own feet aren’t tripping him up as he make his way towards Connor’s desk.

The boy he loves likes him back.

That’s all he wanted. That’s all he’s ever wanted. He’s never had that before. The feeling in his chest is so new and strange he doesn’t know what to do with it.

The possibility of a future, the possibility of mutual love.

Gavin reaches forward, spins Connor’s chair around so that he can face him.

“Gavin, what are you--”

“Shut up,” he whispers, and he leans forward, bending down to hold Connor’s face as he kisses him. It’s not how he thought it would be. He thought the chance of him smiling against Connor’s lips as they kissed each other was slim to none. He thought, more likely, he would be crying. Holding onto Connor and pleading with him, kissing him one last time before they parted ways for the rest of their lives. He thought they would end tragically. He thought they would never even be together. That it was impossible.

And yet, Connor’s hands are on his neck, pulling him down, kissing him back.

Connor is  _ kissing him back. _

He pulls away, needing air, determined not to die the first time he gets to kiss Connor. Maybe the second or third.

“You wrote me a letter,” Gavin says quietly.

“I--Yeah. I did.”

“I didn’t get it,” he says. “I didn’t know.”

“Probably for the best,” Connor replies. “I called you stupid a lot. It wasn’t much of a love letter. Not very romantic.”

“I am, though. Stupid, I mean.”

“Yes,” Connor laughs. “You are.”

“Can I kiss you again?”

“Please.”

And so he does.

**Author's Note:**

> ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜


End file.
